Grabbing a bottle of shampoo from the supermarket rack, I read its label ‘special feature: daily shine!’ Apparently, regular use of this shampoo might make my hair gorgeous like Katrina Kaif’s. Ooh! I am excited. I already imagine myself walking on the road with my beautiful and glossy hair. People will ask my secret. I would tell them that is because I eat a lot of fruits and hmm...What more should I say? …
“Hey” a voice interrupts my imagination and I look up dazedly to find one of my friends standing next to me. “Oh Hi! What are you doing here?” I casually inquired to hide my irritation over her disturbance. “What do you think I am doing here in a supermarket?”, She mocked at me.
I grinned girlishly and said, “I know. Here, I am buying a shampoo for my messy hair. Do you mind helping me?” Deciding to keep my mouth shut about the fact that I have tried almost all the shampoos on that rack, I gave an innocent smile.
She ran her fingers through my curls, and said, “Girl, you have dry hair! See your hair is dry, fragile and dull. I feel that it is rough. It breaks off easily too. Also, not forgetting your constant complaints of finding it difficult to manage, I inferred that,” she tried her best to sound like a serious professional, with matching facial expressions.
I knew it. That is exactly what I wanted to get rid of. I wanted her help to find a better shampoo, not to repeat what I knew. Irritated by her reply I looked at the rack again. “Any problems, miss?” She looked at me carefully with a funny smile. “No, nothing,” I stuttered. “Now, what do you think I should do? Should I apply half a bottle of oil on my scalp and bathe every day?” I sounded sarcastic, but I could not help it.
“No, silly,” she smirked. “When you are choosing the shampoo, choose according to your hair type. A shampoo that contains eggs or oils like coconut is good for your hair.
Avoid shampoos with alcohol as they dry out your hair more. Go for moisturising shampoo as they coat the strands and help to trap moisture inside.” That was exactly what I wanted. “Thank you,” I said. With another smile, she vanished behind the racks.
Again, I started my hunt for a shampoo, but this time with some knowledge about my requirement. I wondered how all eye-catching shampoo advertisements lure in many youngsters to try out all the shampoos available in the market. I, myself spent thousands of rupees on them. As a result, I spoiled my natural hair and now the volume of my hair is less. They say stress makes us lose more hair. Ironically, the status of my hair is the main reason I lose them. This is common among many. However, if you know what you are doing, obtaining that perfect healthy hair is easy provided you use the right shampoo. Let us give you some tips for that.
Shampoo-choosing tips
Firstly, when you select a shampoo, identify your hair type. Primarily, there are three different types: dry, normal and oily. Some people also have combined hair types, hair that changes between oily and dry according to the weather. In addition, you may have coloured or heat damaged hair too. With modern technology and marketing tactics, every hair type has a shampoo made specifically for it.
Oily hair
As my friend identified my dry hair by observing some signs, everyone’s hair shows some characteristics to suggest its type. Identifying oily hair is rather easy with its greasy looks and dullness. It attracts dirt easily wanting you to wash often. If you have any doubt, consult your hairdresser. As a rule of thumb, oily haired people should never use shampoo or conditioner intended for dry hair. Those will not remove the excess oil from your scalp and also it can cause other hair problems such as dandruff, split ends or frizzy hair.
Damaged hair
Shampoo manufacturers never neglect those with lovely colourful hairs. They have shampoos made specifically for them too. Due to the chemicals used when colouring, those hairs also fall under the category of damaged hair. Do not worry if your colour has begun to fade. There are magic shampoos to bring back the colour. Similarly, if you have straight hair, a shampoo that help repair the damage and add moisture will do the trick.
When it comes to hair, there are plenty of things to discuss. I must say, this is not the best guide available on this issue. Therefore, do research, ask your hairdresser, or read hair guides for more information. After all, it is about your hair. Lovely tresses give you that magical look, which grabs the attention of everybody. So, why not shed some sweat to earn it?
